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Metro Director of Schools Jesse Register’s job performance ranged between “effective” and “highly effective” last year, according to a new school board-led evaluation, a mark that nevertheless represents a slight dip under a new system driven more by student performance.

His 2013 job evaluation, which awaits the board’s approval tonight, would give Nashville’s superintendent a score of 3.68 out of 5 for a period in which the district took criticism from Mayor Karl Dean for overspending and speed of academic progress. Register netted a 3.93 in 2012 and a 4.36 the year before.

This was the first year Register has been subject to a new evaluation system that gives greater weight to student and district performance. He earned scores of 3.31 and 3.58 in those areas, respectively.

“Ambitious academic and other goals back up the district’s intent to become the best urban school district by 2018, and the evolution of the director’s evaluation reflects those ambitions,” the review reads. “Given our aggressive 2018 goals, we are encouraged by signs of progress over the past year.”

Register, entering his sixth year leading Nashville’s public schools, earned his highest mark, 4.0, in the area of “courage.” In that category, the board highlighted his 2018 goal, recommendations to close or monitor low-performing charter schools and willingness to join a group of more than 50 Tennessee superintendents to sign a letter critical of the leadership of Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman.